The Illinois Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, will be applying gypsy moth pheromone flakes in areas of northern Illinois during the first week of July. These tiny flakes are applied by aircraft flying about 50 feet above the tree canopy. They do not contain insecticide. They release a synthetic pher omone that confuses the male gypsy moths so that they are unable to locate females for mating. In high populations, male gypsy moths are able to find and mate with females just by wandering around and making chance encounters, so the pheromone flakes are ineffective in reducing numbers. In areas of low gypsy moth population, where chance encounters are unlikely, the pheromone flakes are effective.

Areas planned for treatment are Barrington Hills, Maple Lake, and Sag Bridge areas of Cook County; Argonne, Burr Ridge, and Downers Grove areas of DuPage County; Barrington Hills, Sleepy Hollow, and St. Charles areas of Kane County; Barrington Hills, Marengo Ridge, and Woodstock West areas of McHenry County; and Goodings Grove area of Will County. Updates on application can be found at www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gypsymoth/treatment/index.html.